Agenda item

To consider a Planning Application for the erection of a petrol filling station, including forecourt shop, canopy and 8 pumps, car wash, car care facilities, car parking, offset fills and associated plant and landscaping.

Applicant:      Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd

(Report attached – Site Plan under separate cover)

Erection of a petrol filling station, including forecourt shop,

canopy and 8 pumps, car wash, car care facilities,

car parking, offset fills and associated plant and landscaping

Applicant:  Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd

Mr B Adams, objector and Mr D Templeton, the Applicant’s Agent, addressed the Committee under the Council’s public speaking rules.

Mr B Sharp, a Worcestershire County Council Highway Engineer, was invited to provide expert advice on a number of detailed Highways matters.

RESOLVED that

1)         having regard to the development plan and to all other material considerations, planning permission be GRANTED subject to conditions and informatives as summarised below: 

            “1.       Time limit for commencement of development (3 years);

              2.       Shop not to be open if Petrol Filling Station is not open,

              3.       Materials / finishes to be agreed,

              4.       Hard landscaping materials to be agreed,

              5.       Soft landscaping to be implemented and maintained as per submission,

              6.       Tree protection as requested by Arboricultural Officer,

              7.       Archaeology recording condition,

              8.       Development not to be open to the public or commence use until S.278 off-site highway works have been completed (these include 2 lane entry to roundabout from Millrace Rd, re-surfacing and re-lining of the roundabout),

              9.       Access, turning and parking to be completed prior to use / occupation,

             10.      Method of maintaining safe adjacent highway during construction to be agreed and implemented,

             11.      As requested by Severn Trent Water,

             12.      As requested by Drainage Officer,

             13.      Approved plans specified,

             14.      Development to occur in accordance with ecological mitigation strategy,

             15.      Updated tree protection and assessment details to be provided and agreed,

             16.      Details of species, locations etc and programme for planting of new hedgerow planting to be agreed and implemented as agreed,

             17.      Details of maintenance of existing hedgerows / trees to be agreed and implemented to ensure hedging and smaller trees are retained;”

            plus the following additional conditions agreed by Members at the meeting:

            “18.     the egress on to the main roundabout to be two lanes wide for a minimum of 30 metres,

              19.     the left hand lane of these two lanes to be protected by a continuous white line and have a minimum acceleration distance of 50 metres towards Redditch,

              20.     traffic travelling from Birmingham to have only one lane that goes on towards Redditch,

              21.     the central lane, taking traffic across the island from both the petrol filling station and the main store, to be reinstated,

              22.     traffic exiting towards Birmingham to be separated from traffic going to the petrol filling station so that traffic exiting from the Birmingham lane can better predict when a gap is approaching,

              23.     the island to be completely resurfaced before the new lanes are installed”; and

              Informatives

             “1.      Reason for approval

               2.      As requested by highways

               3.      As requested by Severn Trent Water”;

              and additionally,

2.         “any proposed advertising / signage and future screening matters to be brought to the Planning Committee for determination. ”

(The Committee considered the report and information provided by the public speakers and Mr Brian Sharp, a County Council Highway Engineer who had been invited to the meeting to provide expert highway advice following a request from the Committee at its previous meeting, when the application had been deferred. 

Consideration was also given to a number of proposed additional conditions, tabled at the meeting by a member of the Committee, and which the majority of Members considered would alleviate the increased volume of traffic likely to be generated by the Petrol Filling Station onto the junction of Bordesley Lane and Millrace Road in conjunction with additional traffic generated by the redeveloped Abbey Stadium and recently approved Hotel and Restaurant development.

The Committee also considered that, given the proximity of the subject site to the Crematorium and the associated sensitivities, any advertisement / signage for the development and future screening proposals should be determined by the Committee rather than under delegated powers.)